Method and apparatus for extensible intravenous drip line

ABSTRACT

The extensible intravenous (“i.v.”) drip line tubing uses a helical accordion support structure on which the i.v. tubing is attached. The helical accordion backbone has some tendency to spring back, but this is not relied upon to extend and return the i.v. tubing it carries. The carrier structure keeps the i.v. tubing from getting tangle or kinked. A centrally located retractable line, which is located within the center of the helical accordion structure, acts as the retracting mechanism, as it tends to allow the accordion structure to be pulled into an extended position, while upon rewinding the central cord, the helical accordion support structure can be pushed toward a collapsed position without the i.v. drip line tubing becoming tanked, kinked, and thereby blocked. As a safety feature, so the i.v. line does not encounter and strain between it and the point of entry of the i.v. line into the patient, is one or more wrist and or armbands to which the i.v. carrier is attached by a short, strong line.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to intravenous drip lines which can extend andretract over a distance of many tens of feet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Medical patients are often placed on an intravenous (i.v.) drip line.Typically this i.v. line is fed from a source such as a 1 liter bag ofsome per-cent saline or some percent glucose. Typically the line hasjunction points and insertion points. The junction points allow one i.v.drip line to attach to another line. An insertion points, sometimescombined with one or more junction points, allows for the injection intothe line of medication, typically by a syringe adapted to be insertedtemporarily into the insertion point.

One goal which doesn't appear to be satisfactorily solved is to make thei.v. drip line extensible so that a patient, for example, is able to getout of bed, while attached to the i.v. drip line and traverse a distanceto a bathroom and then return to bed, without having to roll along ani.v. source (“bag”) holder. The bag holder is typically a relativelylarge and heavy object extending upward and on rollers or wheels. If thepatient currently needs to move around, the patient must move the i.v.bag holder along with him or her. This tends to be awkward, especiallyfor a quick trip to the bathroom.

An ideal approach to solving this problem would to have an extensiblei.v. tube that could extend and return to its place of origin. Thisideal approach would use existing i.v. tubing and such junction pointsand insertion points which already exist, are approved for medical useby the Food and Drug Administration.

One difficulty can be noted up front: the i.v. tubing is very flexibleand relatively of small diameter and relatively thin walled. Thisdifficulty may preclude some direct approaches to answering the questionof how to translate the desired result into a workable apparatus.

It is of interest to review prior art. In this conjunction it is notedthat at least in one's typical experience in a modern hospital, no suchextensible i.v. lines have been encountered. This is based on theinventor's anecdotal experiences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This mechanical composition invention fulfills a long felt need.Although a number of inventors have turned their hands to proving asolution to the problem outlined in the “Background of the Invention”section above, and no doubt many Medical Doctors and scientists,engineers and inventors have been subject to hospitalization orobservations of those hospitalized, the invention herein, if it wereobvious, would have already been invented. Therefore, hindsight alonewould not be enough to render this invention obvious.

The invention herein uses a helical accordion support structure(“backbone”) backbone on which the i.v. tubing is attached or held. Thehelical accordion backbone has some tendency to spring back, but this isnot relied upon to extend and return the i.v. tubing it carries. Thecarrier structures keeps the i.v. tubing from getting tangle or kinked.

Instead a centrally located line retractable line, which is locatedwithin the center of the helical accordion structure, acts as theretracting mechanism, as it tends to allow the accordion structure to bepulled into an extended position, while upon rewinding the central cord,the helical accordion support structure.

An additional feature to help insure safety, so the i.v. line does notencounter and strain between it and the point of entry of the i.v. lineinto the patient, is one or more wrist and or armbands to which the i.v.carrier is attached by a short, strong, typically fabric, line Thewrist/armband typically uses a Velcro closure, or as will be a doubleVelcro closure.

This method and apparatus may be used also for patient oxygen lines andfor gastro-intestinal tubing, although not necessarily limited to theseuses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a helical accordion carrying structure;

FIG. 2 shows a helical accordion carrying structure with an intravenousdrip line in place;

FIG. 3 a shows one method of attaching i.v. drip line to the accordioncarrying structure with closed arches;

FIG. 3 b shows a second method of attaching i.v. drip line to theaccordion carrying structure with open arches;

FIG. 3 c shows a the protective tendency of the open or closed arches,tending to protect the i.v. drip line from compression;

FIG. 3 d shows a third method of attaching i.v. drip line to theaccordion carrying structure with glue;

FIG. 3 e shows a fourth method of attaching i.v. drip line to theaccordion carrying structure with heat welding;

FIG. 3 f shows a fifth method of attaching i.v. drip line to theaccordion carrying structure with tape;

FIG. 4 shows the central retractable line located through the center ofthe helical accordion support structure;

FIG. 5 shows a wristband and armband safety element in place and no partof the living person indicated by dotted lines is part of the invention;

FIG. 6 a shows the patient “in bed” with the i.v. extensible system in acollapsed mode;

FIG. 6 b shows the patient with the i.v. extensible system in anextended position;

FIG. 7 a shows one of many possible systems for integrating theinvention with other existing i.v. drip line joint elements and existingi.v. drip line injection elements, with bifurcation into male and femaleblades;

7 b shows a male blade with raised bumps;

7 c shows a female doubled blade with receptor holes;

7 d mated male and female blade; and

FIG. 8 shows an attachable bracket as part of an installation “kit” forexisting i.v. drip line stands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated forcarrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in alimiting sense, but is merely made for the purpose of describing thegeneral principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a helical accordion carrying structure. The purpose of thehelical accordion is to provide a support for an intravenous (i.v.) dripline of the type used to deliver, for example, saline or glucosesolution, to a patient from a source, typically a 1 liter plastic bag,suspended from an i.v. stand as typically found in a hospital patient'sroom. One aspect to maintaining a usefully operational i.v. drip line isto keep it from kinking-up and acquiring a kink which blocks fluid fromflowing through the kink.

FIG. 1 shows the helical accordion support structure 101. It resembles aa toy sold under a trademark name of “Slinky”, U.S. Pat. No. 2,415,012,1947 issued to R. T. James. Prototypes of this invention were made witha commercially bought metal “Slinky.” Two different diameter plasticversions were also used. The purpose of the helical accordion supportstructure is to keep the i.v. drip line from tangling.

FIG. 2 shows the i.v. drip line 201 in relationship to the helicalsupport structure. It is very important that the i.v. drip line does notbecome twisted and kinked up. Otherwise the i.v. drip line would not beable to have fluid to continuous drip through it because of theblockage.

The helical accordion support structure 101 provides an indexingtopological base such that the sequential ordering of the i.v. drip line201 is maintained: a first point remains ordered behind a second pointin a linear ordering of the i.v. drip line.

The accordion support structure is necessary but not sufficient to havethe extensible i.v. drip line apparatus operate. Before coming to thenext component, however, FIGS. 3 a-3 f show various methods of attachingthe i.v. drip line 201 to the helical accordion support structure 101.These methods are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. FIG. 3 ashows a flat helical accordion structure with small arches 301 moldedinto the flat helical structure. The advantage of the flatness of thehelical structure 101 is that it maintains a sufficient stiffnessagainst bending.

With the molded arches 301 (FIG. 3 a), the i.v. tubing 201 is threadedthough the arches 301 and carried around the entire length of thehelical accordion support structure 201 as shown in FIG. 2, without themolded in arches 301 being shown).

In another variation of the molded arches 301 of FIG. 3 a, FIG. 3 bshows molded-in arches 302 with a slight space 303 between the apogees(or “keystone”) 304 of the arches 302 meeting. This type of molded-inarch 302 may provide a slightly different method of inserting the i.v.tubing 201. The tubing 201 may just be pushed into the space 303 with anappropriate manufacturing device which may spread the arch apogees 304slightly so as to facilitate i.v. tubing 201 insertion into the arches302

As shown in FIG. 3 c, both these types of arches 310, 302 advantageouslyact to protect the i.v. drip tubing 201 from any compression from anback of an adjacent “circle” 306 of the helical accordion supportstructure 101, which is adjacent to the upper surface (upper, as shownin FIG. 3 c) “circle” 305 carrying the i.v. drip tubing 201.

FIG. 3 d shows the i.v. drip tubing 201 attached to the helicalaccordion support structure 101 by “glue” 310. The glue 310 needs to becompatible with the i.v. drip tubing 201 so as not to result inpenetration and contamination of the i.v. drip tubing 201 by the glue310. The glue 310 also must not cause structural degradation of thehelical accordion support structure 101.

FIG. 3 e shows the i.v. drip tubing 201 attached to the helicalaccordion support structure 101 by “adhesive tape” 311. The adhesive ofthe tape 311 needs to be compatible with the i.v. drip tubing 201 so asnot to result in penetration and contamination of the i.v. drip tubing201 by the tape 31. The tape also must not cause structural degradationof the helical accordion support structure 101.

FIG. 3 f shows the i.v. drip tubing 201 attached to the helicalaccordion support structure 101 by a thermoplastic heat welding method.In this thermoplastic heat welding method, a strip of thermoplasticmaterial 312 is attached to the center of one side of the helicalaccordion support structure 10 and heat s applied to the thermoplasticmaterial 312 and to the i.v. drip tubing 201. The thermoplastic material312 may be of the same type plastic as the i.v. drip line 201.

FIG. 4 shows a “central line” 401 through the center of the helicalaccordion support structure 101. The term “central line” 401 is used asspecifically shown in these figures and is not another i.v. drip line.This central line 401 serves as a support for the helical accordionsupport structure 101. It also serves to allow the helical accordionsupport structure 101 to be pulled open and to be pulled shut. Thespringiness of the accordion aspect of the helical accordion supportstructure 101 is fairly weak. Also the helical accordion supportstructure 101 tends to sag even without supporting any i.v. drip line201. The central control line 401 tends to counteract this sag.

The springiness of the accordion aspect of the helical accordion supportstructure 101 is easily pulled apart and easily aided in compression byattaching the end 502 of the helical accordion support structure 101,which may be closest to the insertion point of the i.v. line into an armor wrist vein, to an control element 501 (See FIG. 5).

As shown in FIG. 5, the other end of the central line 401 is anchored toan anchor point 505 of an i.v. stand 503, which may be in the vicinityof the i.v. fluid supply bag 504. The i.v. stand 503 may need anauxiliary bracket attached to it. The central line 401 and the controlelement 501 are comparable to a commercially available variable length“dog leash,” known in the arts, such as one trademarked “flexi”, modelclassic 1. These commercially available adjustable dog leashesessentially can rewind the dog leash line, but don't “haul the dog in,”because the rewind spring of this control element 501 is notsuper-strong. The control element may be based on the adjustable dogleash described here, which also has a thumb trigger for allowing theline, corresponding to the central line 401 to rewind. Any similarmechanism is suitable for the control element 501, even if it isrepackaged.

By allowing the control element 501 to pay out line length, a person canwalk forward and the accordion aspect of the helical accordion supportstructure 101 will open up, carrying with it the i.v. drip line 201.Thus the i.v. drip line 201 extends out carried by the accordionstructure of helical accordion support structure 101. As the personwalks back toward the i.v. drip stand and allows control element 501 toallow the central line to retract, the accordion aspect of the helicalaccordion support structure 101 tend to close up, contracting with thei.v. drip line 201 attached to it.

The retraction ability of central line 401 rewinding into the controlelement 501 is fairly weak, but combined with the slight compressionability of the accordion aspect of the helical accordion supportstructure 101, the helical accordion support structure 101 with theattached i.v. drip line 201 are easily pushed backed to a compressedsituation where the total length of the helical accordion supportstructure 101 is shortened to an fully compressed condition. Similarly,the helical accordion support structure 101 and the attached i.v. dripline are easily extensible by releasing the central line 401 by causingthe control element to release and pulling on the control element whichis attached to one end of the helical accordion support structure 101.

FIG. 5 also shows two variations of a safety element, a “Velcro”wristband 509 may attach, by a short line 510, to the end of the helicalaccordion support structure 101. In case the patient drops the controlelement 501, the wristband 509 will prevent any significant adversestrain being placed on the i.v. drip line where it is inserted into thepatient's vein.

Similarly, depending upon the location of the vein insertion point, asimilar Velcro armband 511 with a short line 512 may be attached to apatient's arm and a location on the helical accordion support structure101.

These two situations are illustrated in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b. In FIG. 6 athe patient is in bed and the helical accordion support structure101/i.v. line 201/central line 401 is in the compressed, shortenedstate. FIG. 6B illustrates the patient out of bed and the helicalaccordion support structure 101/i.v. line 201/central line is in a moreextended position.

In order to incorporate current drip line 201 devices (dotted “object”in FIG. 7 a), which “object” may be an “object” which serves asconnection or junction element to allow two separate i.v. line to jointogether in a medically satisfactory manner; or it may be an “object,”which allows for a location in the i.v. line for the insertion ofmedication, typically by a hypodermic syringe. FIG. 7 a shows such amethod/structure for connecting an “object” of this type into thehelical accordion support structure 101.

FIG. 7 a shows a bifurcation of the helical accordion support structure101. The helical accordion support structure 101 branched out into twowings 701, 702. The wings come in male/female pairs. FIG. 7 b shows themale 701 of the wing pair is a single blade with one or more roundedprotrusions 703 on it. FIG. 7 c shows the female 702 of the wing pair isa doubled blade 704 with one or more holes 705 in the each blade made soas to accept the protrusions 703 of the male blade 701 as it is pushedbetween the two blades 704 of the female wing 702 with theircorresponding receiving holes 705.

FIG. 7 d shows the mated blade of the male blade 701 with the matedfemale double 704 blade 702. It shows the protrusions or bumps 703 onthe male blade 701 seated in the holes 705 of the female blade 702 inits doubled configuration 704.

Smallest diameter compatible with radius of curvature of i.v. drip line201 is best because the extra length is 2πr, which compared with thespacing (about h=o.d. of i.v. drip tubing. But one wants also to keepease of expansion.

Additionally, to complete a kit for installation on existing i.v. stands503, an attachable bracket 801, which provides for anchoring of the end(FIG. 5, 505) of the central line 401 (FIG. 4), may be included. FIG. 8shows such a generic bracket 801. The bracket 801 attaches to anexisting i.v. stand 503 utilizing bolts and nuts through the bolt holes802 and provides for an eyehole 803. FIG. 8 a shows this, with atop-view in FIG. 8 b.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositionof matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from thedisclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing orlater to be developed that perform substantially the same function orachieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodimentsdescribed herein may be utilized according to the present invention.

1. An apparatus for an extensible intravenous drip line, comprising: anhelical accordion support structure; an intravenous drip line attachableto the helical accordion support structure; an attachment means whereinthe intravenous drip line is attached to the helical accordion supportstructure; a controllable central line; and a controller for selectivelyreleasing the controllable central line to be released or to be rewound.2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the attachment meansincluding but not limited to a plurality of continuous arches integrallymolded into the helical accordion support structure; and the intravenousdrip line tubing is threaded under the arches.
 3. The apparatus of claim2, further comprising arches wherein the arches are not continuous, butseparated at their high point into two adjacent sub-arches.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the attachment means includingbut not limited to glue wherein the intravenous drip line tubing isglued to the intravenous helical accordion support structure.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the attachment means includingbut not limited to heat welding wherein a suitable thermoplastictubing-like-material plastic strip is attached to the center of one sideof the helical accordion support structure; and the intravenous dripline tubing is heat welded to the thermoplastic tubing-like-materialplastic strip in the center of one side of the intravenous helicalaccordion support structure
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising: the attachment means including but not limited to tapewherein the intravenous drip line tubing is taped to the intravenoushelical accordion support structure.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a wristband safety feature, wherein a wristbandattachable to the wrist of a patient is attached to the helicalaccordion support structure and wherein the attachment of the wristbandto the helical accordion support structure may be by means of a shortcord and wherein said configuration will prevent severe stress on theentry point of the intravenous drip line system into the patient in theevent the central control line element is dropped.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising an armband safety feature, wherein anarmband attachable to the wrist of a patient is attached to the helicalaccordion support structure and wherein the attachment of the armband tothe helical accordion support structure may be by means of a short cordand wherein said configuration will prevent severe stress on the entrypoint of the intravenous drip line system into the patient in the eventthe central control line element is dropped; and wherein the armband maybe utilized in conjunction with the wristband safety feature.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an attachable set of twohelical accordion support structures, further comprising: a first splithelical accordion support structure wherein the flat aspect of thesupport structure is bifurcated into a male blade and a female blade;the male blade further comprising a single flat element including one ormore raised bumps on the one or the two of its flat blade sides; thefemale blade further comprising a two flat elements with space betweenthe two flat elements adapted to receive the male blade wherein thefemale two flat elements are further adapted with one or more holes oneach of its two flat element to receive the one or more raised bumps onthe male blade, and a first helical accordion support structurebifurcated structure having a male and female blade is adapted to matewith a second helical accordion support structure having its own femaleand male blades adapted in position to mate first male to second femaleand first male to second female, wherein first and second reference thefirst helical accordion support structure bifurcated mating blades andthe second helical accordion support structure bifurcated mating blades,respectively.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: thebifurcated blade system with sufficient room between both of the set ofbifurcated blades, one pair on each of the two attachable helicalaccordion support structures wherein the blades both sideways andend-to-end to accommodate a commercially available, known in the arts,intravenous drip tubing joining element wherein, as known in the art,the joining element may join two separate intravenous tubes.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 7, further comprising: the bifurcated blade systemwith sufficient room between both of the set of bifurcated blades, onepair on each of the two attachable helical accordion support structureswherein the blades both sideways and end-to-end, to accommodate acommercially available, known in the arts, intravenous drip tubingelement adapted to receive medicine into intravenous drip linesincluding by insertion of a hypodermic needle with syringe; and thecommercially available drip tubing element adapted to receive medicinemay also be adapted to also join two separate intravenous tube, and maybe also accommodated by the bifurcated blade system.
 12. The apparatusof claim 1, further comprising a bracket for a kit which is adapted toattached to an intravenous drip line stand/holder, known in the arts, byscrew tightened bracket means to provide an anchor for the central line.13. A method for an extensible intravenous drip line, comprising:supporting an intravenous drip line by attaching the intravenous dripline to a helical accordion-like support structure; expanding theextensible length of the intravenous drip line by expanding the helicalaccordion support structure; by pulling on it; contracting theextensible length of the intravenous drip line by contracting thehelical accordion support structure; by pulling on it; preventing thesagging of the helical supporting structure by having a first end ofcentral line attached to an intravenous drip line stand, known in thearts, running the central line through the center of the helix andhaving a second end attached to a control element; controlling thecentral line with a control element; operating the control element by atrigger allowing the central line to unwind while pulling the accordionsupport structure open; operating the control element by a triggerallowing the central line to rewind with a relatively light force whilepushing the accordion support structure closed;
 14. The method of claim13, further comprising: attaching the intravenous drip line tubing tothe helical accordion support structure by attachment means, but notlimited to any particular workable attachment means.
 15. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising: attaching a first helical accordionsupport structure to a second helical accordion support structure;utilizing a male-female type blade connection for attaching the firsthelical accordion support structure to the second helical supportstructure. The method of claim 15, further comprising: bifurcating afirst split helical accordion support structure wherein the flat aspectof the support structure into a male blade and a female blade; utilizingthe male blade further comprising a single flat element including one ormore raised bumps on the one or the two of its flat blade sides;utilizing the female blade further comprising two flat elements withspace between the two flat elements adapted to receive the male bladewherein the female two flat elements are further adapted with one ormore holes on each of its two flat element to receive the one or moreraised bumps on the male blade, and mating a first helical accordionsupport structure bifurcated structure having a male and female bladewith a second helical accordion support structure having its own femaleand male blades; positioning first male to mate with second female andfirst male to mate with second female, wherein first and second refer tothe first helical accordion support structure bifurcated mating bladesand the second helical accordion support structure bifurcated matingblades, respectively.
 16. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:adapting the bifurcated blade system with sufficient room between bothof the set of bifurcated blades, one pair on each of the two attachablehelical accordion support structure, the blades both sideways andend-to-end; accommodating a commercially available, known in the arts,intravenous drip tubing joining element wherein, as known in the art,the joining element may join two separate intravenous tubes, if suchaccommodation is needed; and accommodating a commercially available,known in the arts, intravenous drip tubing medicine receiving elementwherein, as known in the art, the intravenous drip tubing element may beadapted to receive medicine into intravenous drip lines including byinsertion of a hypodermic needle with syringe; and intravenous driptubing element adapted to receive medicine into intravenous drip linesincluding by insertion of a hypodermic needle with syringe; and thecommercially available drip tubing element adapted to receive medicinemay also be adapted to also join two separate intravenous tube, as suchaccommodation may be needed.
 17. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising: forming a kit for adapting a screw tightened bracket meansto attach to an intravenous drip line stand/holder, known in the arts;and providing an anchor for the central line.